Improvement in clothes-clamps



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1 16 30 7 mmm JUN 27 1871 Eig. I n

www@ j l wdau/ lUNITEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDER HEDGE, OF LIVERPOOL, AND THORNTON H; FLEMING, OF CANTON, ILL.'

IMPROVEMENT IN CLOTHES-CLAMPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 116,307, dated June 27,1871.

. neXed drawing making a part of this specica tion, in which likeletters of reference refer to like parts, and in which- Figure lrepresents a perspective View 5 Figs. 2 and 3, front and sideelevations.

This invention consists of a small block of Wood or other serviceablematerial, one en d of which is slotted for the admission of a cam oreccentric disk, Which slot meets a recess inclined deeply into theblock, so that when the cain is turned toward said recess the longerradius of said cam, or the curve furthest from the pivot, retains bothclothes and line between it and the inclined surface of the recess.

A represents in the drawing a block, having a slot, a, which meets theinclined edge e fof the recess b e f b at an acute angle 5 B, a cam oreccentric disk, pivoted at O, Within the slot a, at such a distance fromthe inclined surface b e f of the' recess that the longer radius orcurve` of the cam, when brought from the back or inner part of therecess toward the inclined-surface b e f, will retain both clothes andline in the inner angle f of the recess b e f b; C, the pivot of thecam, which I make either of a solid pin or a tube of tin or other metal,the ends of which, after insertion, are left slightly projecting, andare tlattened down around the hole to retain the pivot in its place;D,`a dotted line, indicating the position of the clothes-line or Wire.The slot a, in the blockA may be dispensed with provided that the pivotO be set irmly in its socket; but the'slot is the best principle, as thecam is more protected from accidental force.

The operation of this eccentric clothes-clamp is as follows: The lineand clothes are introduced into the inner part of the recess b e '.f,and the cam-point d pressed toward the recess, when the gradual increaseof pressure of the curved edge of the cam firmly retains the clothes andline against the inclined surface e j' and from which no pulling,blowing of Winds, or other strains will release them unless the cam beloosened intentionally.

What We claim as our invention is- 1. The block A, With its recess orinclined surface b c j', meeting the slot a at an acute an gle, and theslot a in combination With the cani B, substantiallyT as and t'or thepurposes'described.

2. 'The combination of the tubular cam-pivot O or riveted tube with camB and block A, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing clothes-clamp we have hereuntoset our hands this 17th day of April, 1871.

EDER HEDGE. THORNTON H. FLEMING.

Witnesses A. M. SWAN, GEORGE TITMAN.

